


Parents' Worst Nightmare

by sophieofwinterfell



Series: A Collection of Firsts [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Blackinnon Week 2020, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), blackinnon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:27:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25231615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophieofwinterfell/pseuds/sophieofwinterfell
Summary: Sirius knew exactly what she was thinking about, and he remembered it too: that same party, six years ago, before he had even started Hogwarts or had met James. It had actually been the first time they had met — James and Marlene liked to go on and on about how they went way back, being childhood friends and all, and they did; but Sirius had history with Marlene McKinnon too.
Relationships: Marlene McKinnon & James Potter, Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Sirius Black & Marlene McKinnon, Sirius Black/Marlene McKinnon
Series: A Collection of Firsts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1827946
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	Parents' Worst Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! 
> 
> This is my first HP fanfic in YEARS so bear with me please. Also, English is not my native language so if there are any grammar mistakes it's because of that... although I did check and tried my best!
> 
> This oneshot is a response to the Blackinnon Week 2020 prompts in Tumblr, which are basically "A Week of Firsts". This fic is for day one, "First Meeting", so here it is! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy it and tell me what you think :)

McKinnon was a sight, he had to give her that.

With those slender legs that went on for miles, those ridiculous big, beautiful indigo eyes and that strawberry blonde hair, he could understand why she was never short of dates to go to Hogsmeade. She had even managed to catch Amos Diggory’s eye — that seventh year bloke everyone made a big deal of, that was the big star of Hufflepuff’s Quidditch team. He had asked her out several times, and while girls loved him and even James, who was a total Quidditch snob, had admitted he was alright, McKinnon hadn’t been impressed.

Hardly ever, Sirius had come to realise, was Marlene McKinnon impressed.

She liked to flirt and smile and send boys’ hearts racing but even though he _knew_ —he had caught her on a few occasions— she fooled around with them and had a laugh, she never seemed to actually _like_ anyone… She, actually _interested_ in them? Nah. Committing to them? Also out of the question, clearly.

Sirius respected her for that, especially in moments like this, in which he was witnessing girls trying to secure a ‘proper match’ and losing all dignity in the process, with that fake laugh and peppering eyes, hoping for those pure-blood assholes to pay them attention and give them an expensive diamond ring along with a bunch of racist babies…

He was disgusted by his kind. Besides, what _was_ a ‘proper match’ anyway? Handsome, rich, and most importantly, pure-blood? What a sad life they were going to have.

While Narcissa was trying to dazzle Lucius Malfoy, who was by all means already hypnotised, McKinnon was stealing a glass of firewhiskey from the table in such a casual and nonchalant way that it was obvious it wasn’t the first time she did something like that. And Sirius knew perfectly well it wasn’t.

“Planning on getting drunk already?” he asked her with a sly grin, going over to where she was.

They weren’t exactly _friends_ ; at first, he merely tolerated her because she was James’ childhood friend, but as the years passed, she had grown on him… which wasn’t a small accomplishment by any means. It wasn’t easy to get past his many defenses, but Marlene McKinnon was someone who, against all odds, shared a lot of things in common with him; someone he actually _enjoyed_ to hang out with, besides James, Remus and Peter.

“I should have _come_ drunk,” she replied, gulping down the liquid as if it was water. Sirius had always admired a woman who could hold their drink, and McKinnon certainly could. “I’d forgotten how _fun_ your parents’ parties were. Is there enough alcohol for this?”

“The world’s entire production of alcohol wouldn’t be enough for this,” he smirked, although there was an edge of bitterness underlying his tone and, unsurprisingly, she saw right through it.

Her bright eyes stared at him for a second too long before she gave him her glass and grabbed another one for herself. “Well then,” she said, raising her drink; he did the same. “For alcohol’s manufacturers. May they never stop producing.”

“Cheers to that, McKinnon.”

They gulped down their glasses’ content in a shot. Sirius welcomed the burning feeling on his throat, almost thankful for it as it made the awkward and unknown feeling in his stomach disappear a bit. She always made him feel _weird_.

“I’m surprised you’ve come at all,” he commented. “It’s been a while since you’ve last graced my parents with your presence.”

She smiled sardonically at his comment. The McKinnons were always invited to society’s parties, as they came from a long generation of pure-blood witches and wizards. Sirius knew for a fact his parents weren’t particularly fond of them, because Mr. McKinnonand his offsprings were too sympathetic to muggleborns and too involved in their fight for rights to their liking. However, they were so rich and respected by everyone else that his mother had no other choice but to invite them every time. They did not always attend; the dislike was mutual and Marlene had certainly been a stranger to those parties for years, so when Sirius had seen her walk in after her fatherand older sisters, he had been surprised, to say the least.

“I wasn’t going to come, but my aunt Elise is visiting and anything’s better than to listen to her going on and on about an advantageous marriage to someone disgusting like… let’s say, the Carrow’s heir.”

Sirius winced. “That twat?”

“Yeah, apparently… _he’s a catch!_ ” she exclaimed in a high-pitched, excited voice, while clapping her hands in a silly way, clearly imitating her aunt.

He snorted. “If he’s a catch, what am I?”

Marlene McKinnon gave him one of her signature looks, those she rarely wasted on people she didn’t consider enthralling, probably taking in the lack of effort he’d given to his outfit. But it felt as if she was looking right into his very soul, and the feeling in his stomach accentuated when she grinned wickedly.

“You are a father’s worst nightmare, Black.”

He laughed loudly, making people turn around to look at them. Some threw them curious glances, others stuck out their noses in disapproval, and the most daring ones started to whisper among themselves, but neither Sirius or Marlene paid them any mind.

“Nice,” he commented, amused. “I’ll add it to my list of achievements.”

“It mustn’t be a very long list.”

“You’d be surprised, McKinnon.”

She cocked an eyebrow at him, daring him to name at least a few of those achievements, and Sirius had every intention of doing it. However, at that moment, Regulus came over and, ignoring Marlene as he did with all Gryffindors or blood-traitors, he addressed him.

“Mother says you need to go and talk to the Greengrass girl.”

“What are you now, her owl, apart from her precious little baby?”

Regulus pursed his lips. “You are drawing unnecessary attention to yourself.”

“I can’t help it if this party is so boring people need to stare at the only interesting _and_ attractive person in this room.” Marlene cleared her throat and Sirius, without even looking at her, corrected himself, “the only _two_ interesting and attractive people in this room.”

Regulus looked at her then, and found her with an innocent, fake smile. His younger brother frowned and turned to him again. “You know why mother wants you to talk to Poppy Greengrass.”

“And you know I _never_ do anything she tells me. _Especially_ this.”

“Because of _her_?” Regulus asked, almost disgusted, throwing Marlene another look.

“I understand my love life must be of great interest to you, seeing as yours is non-existent,” Sirius said, his tone nonchalant but his features hard. “But fuck off, little brother. And tell our darling mother to leave me alone if she doesn’t want me to repeat last year’s _accident_.”

Regulus did as he asked, but not before scoffing and glaring at Marlene once again, as if she was to blame for everything that was wrong with the world, including him. Sirius growled, a cloud of darkness suddenly hovering over him. He had got better at not letting his family, especially his mother, get under his skin — after fifteen years living in that house, he had no other choice but to learn. But there were things that still made him snap and lose his composure, and his brother taking his mother’s side and her constant attempts to ruin his life were a few of them.

_Courting._ His mother wanted him to _court_ someone. It was the most ridiculous thing he could think of — it was a clear proof his mother didn’t know him or _cared_ to know him at all. There was no way in hell Sirius would get married, much less to a pureblood girl, and give his parents that satisfaction.

Now, he didn’t know Poppy Greengrass. Yes, he’d seen her at school and she wasn’t an ugly bird, but if his mother considered her _suitable_ , then he would never touch a single hair in her head. He couldn’t wait to turn eighteen, rent some house with his friends in muggle London and get as far away from these people as possible.

Or that was the dream, at least.

“What happened last year?” he heard Marlene ask curiously, taking him out of his somber thoughts.

At that, his lips twitched up a bit. “I sabotaged Kreacher’s special cake — everyone who took a bite couldn’t help but recite all synonyms known to the word _fecal_. The ones who’d eaten the most even made up sentences. Some were so disgusted by the words that ended up throwing up.”

Marlene grinned so widely it made her heart-shaped face look twice as lovely. He couldn’t help but think shedid look _impressed_ by him.

“Brilliant.”

“Yes, I’ve been told I am.”

She rolled her eyes, ignoring his comment. “So is this a tradition? Pulling a prank on the Black’s annual party every year?”

“As a matter of fact, it is. Although it doesn’t always go as planned.”

“Yes,” she chuckled. “I remember.”

Sirius knew _exactly_ what she was thinking about, and he remembered it too: that same party, six years ago, before he had even started Hogwarts or had met James. It had actually been the first time _they_ had met — James and Marlene liked to go on and on about how they went way back, being childhood friends and all, and they did; but Sirius had history with Marlene McKinnon too.

His nine-year old self had been preparing his little plan for weeks, since the moment his parents had announced they would be having one of their presumptuous, long-ass, dreadful parties… if they could be called _that_ , of course. More than parties, Sirius thought of them as tortures his mother liked to put him through so he would just give up being so misbehaved, in which people liked to compete about who was the richest and the purest… Not once he had had a nice time during those events.

Andromeda being there, the only one of his cousins he could actually stand to be around, sometimes helped; but her presence had always been outshone by her two other sisters — now, Narcissa he didn’t use to mind much, as she generally ignored him, but Bellatrix… Bellatrix was _loud_ , uppity and the snobbiest person he knew besides his mother; she used to _love_ getting him in trouble and watching as his mother reprimanded him. He had genuinely thought she was a crazy, cruel bitch and _Merlin_ , had he hated her… well, he still did.

That was why he had managed to steal his father’s silver snuffbox which contained Wartcap powder. He had managed to convince Bellatrix to open it and take a look inside, and her whole nose had turned gray, thick and rough, almost dragon-like. She had gone _running_ to tell his mother, crying and screaming what he had done to her, causing a scandal. Guests had been scared of him since that episode, and the beating he’d got from his father later had even felt worthwhile. But before that, his mother had literally _petrified_ him and had made him stand in the drawing-room, right next to his cousin’s face in the Black Family Tree, unable to move and ready to recite the family’s history to whoever passed nearby.

Walburga had always been a cruel woman.

He had spent almost three hours in that position; word had gone around and people had been made aware not to go nearby if they didn’t want to be stuck with his lecture. Eventually, the effects of whatever curse his mother had used had started to wear off and he no longer recited the Black family’s history. He could move his head a bit, but he had still been partly petrified when a girl around his age had approached him.

Nine-year-old Marlene was taller than him back then; her even lighter hair was in two long braids, and she was wearing a velvet dress the colour of wine. Her indigo eyes had been wide when she had made it to him, almost as if she had been approaching a wild beast.

With the little he could talk, Sirius had told her to go away.

“I’ve just come to tell you that half of your cousin’s face still looks gross,” she’d said. “Warts starting showing up on her skin.”

If he could have smiled, he would have.

“I’m glad,” he’d spat. “Serves her right.”

“I know. I’ve only met her tonight, but she was really mean.”

At her words, Sirius had softened and had given her a proper look. He didn’t remember her, which was odd, because his mother had been giving these parties since before he had been born, and the guests were pretty much always the same ones.

“Who are you?”

“Marlene McKinnon,” she’d answered, tilting her head to look at him curiously. “What was it that you gave your cousin?”

“Wartcap powder.”

Contrary to what he had been expecting, the girl had smiled; her eyes wide in excitement.

“Amazing! I can’t _wait_ to tell James.”

He hadn’t known who James was — he could have never expected he would become his best friend in the world, so he had ignored her. But little Marlene had been just as stubborn as the current Marlene was.

“Is that her?” she’d asked him, looking up at the tree and seeing Bellatrix’s face. Sirius had expected to start reciting the story again, but thankfully, he hadn’t. When he’d nodded, Marlene had smiled again. She had looked around the drawing-room as if searching for something, until she seemed to find it — a quill.

Sirius, still frozen and without being able to do much, had simply stared as the blonde girl drew a moustache on his cousin’s painting and crossed out her name, writing _BITCH_ instead. When she’d finished, Marlene had shrugged at the astounded look on Sirius’ face.

“She deserves it, right?”

And without even expecting a reply, she had turned around and left.

“You have always been something else, McKinnon,” Sirius told her, staring at her.

Just like the first time they had met, she was wearing a red dress, almost as if she needed to scream how _Gryffindor_ she was to all these people, something he could relate to. But only the colour resembled her old dress, as this one was that of a woman, showing cleavage and shoulders. It was also shorter, making her legs stand out, and with her long blonde hair down, she was the perfect image of a Golden Gryffindor girl, even if he knew her too well to think of her like that.

She wasn’t perfect; she was daring, fierce, loyal, brave and all that, but she was also impetuous, undisciplined, cynical and a complete contradiction he certainly enjoyed to have around.

Marlene took another gulp of her firewhiskey and finished it, leaving the glass back on the small table.

“Would you say I’m a mother’s worst nightmare?”

Sirius laughed, thinking of everything his mother had told him about Poppy Greengrass; how obedient, respectable and mindful of her duty she was; how she valued the pure-blood tradition and lived by the ‘right standards’.

“You certainly are mine’s.”

Marlene grinned that wicked smile that made her eyes sparkle in cheekiness. It was as if he had told her the greatest of compliments…

In a way, he had.

“Great. Wanna dance and show these old dinosaurs what it’s like to have a good time, Black?”

“Always, McKinnon. Always.”

  
  
  



End file.
